The Street Church

John finishes his letter with encouragement for the Church to know they have eternal life - and that eternal life is knowing Jesus, which we can experience now and will then enjoy forevermore.

Our love as followers of Jesus flows from being infinitely loved by our heavenly Father. This is the source of our love and enables us to love as our Father desires us.

John draws his readers' attention to the Holy Spirit - the one who is in and is greater than the evil one who is in the world. John urges Christians to be discerning of spirits, because not every spiritual thing draws people to the truth and the light.

To be God's child is to love sacrificially - to love how God loved us: by sending his only Son to die for us. John urges Christians to let their faith be proved by their love, and to let our love be shown in radical generosity.

John has called his readers his 'dear children', and he now reveals a marvellous truth - the incredible love that God has lavished on believers, that they get to be called the children of God! John invites Christians to marvel at their adoption into God's family and to ensure their actions reflect the character of their heavenly Father.